The Tunisian security forces raided the House of the Lawyer in Tunis on the evening of May 11th and arrested Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer and columnist who had been issued a warrant by the justice system for sarcastic remarks about the country’s situation. The police assault on the House of the Lawyer, located in front of the Tunis courthouse, resulted in the aggression of lawyers and the abduction of Sonia Dahmani to an unknown location. This action was denounced by members of her defense team on social media.
During a television program on Tuesday, Sonia Dahmani sarcastically questioned the extraordinary nature of the country, in response to a commentator claiming that migrants from several sub-Saharan African countries were seeking to settle in Tunisia. This statement was deemed derogatory by some social media users towards Tunisia’s image. Dahmani had received a summons to appear before a judge on Friday without specific reasons stated, which she did not comply with, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant by the investigating judge.
Sonia Dahmani had expressed to the press her refusal to appear in court without knowing the reasons behind the summons. Media reports suggest that she is under investigation for spreading false information with the intent to harm public safety and incite hate speech, based on Decree-Law 54 enacted by President Kaïs Saied in September 2022. This law imposes up to five years of imprisonment for individuals using information and communication networks to spread false news that could jeopardize the rights of others or public safety.
Over the past year and a half, more than 60 individuals including journalists, lawyers, and opponents of President Saied have faced prosecution under Decree-Law 54, according to the National Syndicate of Journalists. This increased crackdown on freedom of expression has impacted various sectors of society, including bloggers and artists in Tunisia. The use of legal measures to target dissenting voices has raised concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in the country.
The arrest of Sonia Dahmani has sparked outrage among activists and human rights defenders, who view it as another case of government repression against critical voices. Advocates for freedom of speech and press freedom have called for her immediate release and an end to the use of restrictive laws to silence dissent. The international community has also expressed concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in Tunisia and the implications for democratic governance in the region.
As the situation unfolds, there is a growing fear of further restrictions on civil liberties and an increase in political persecution in Tunisia. The targeting of journalists, lawyers, and activists under vague laws related to false information and hate speech reflects a wider trend of authoritarianism and censorship in the country. It remains to be seen how the Tunisian government will respond to calls for accountability and respect for fundamental rights in the face of mounting criticism both domestically and internationally.
